http://www.timesofoman.com/ Lufthansa ends 35-year-long Muscat operations
Muscat: Lufthansa will stop its operations in Muscat from Sunday, aviation sector sources said. “Due to lack of passengers, the airlines will stop flying to Frankfurt from Muscat from Sunday onward,” sources said. Lufthansa was operating daily flights to Frankfurt from Muscat. From Sunday, it is ending its 35-year-long Muscat operations. “Travelers can choose Swiss Air as the new carrier to fly to Frankfurt which also flies daily from Muscat,” the source added.
http://www.newdelhitimes.com/ Lufthansa cuts down on first class to improve profits (1) Private lounges, exotic food, luxury car rides to the airport, flying in the lap of comfort and style is the preferred choice for the affluent, and airlines like Emirates and Etihad lead the way in luxury travelling. Europe’s largest airlines Lufthansa has also been the airline of choice for most business travelers, they were the first to come out with an innovative first class product, consisting of both a separate seat and bed for each passenger. This was available on all their 747-400 aircrafts, as a part of a €1.5 billion savings program Lufthansa has been eliminating first class from most of their aircrafts. Lufthansa typically carries 200,000 passengers a day of whom only 700 travel first class, catered to by 1,500 dedicated flight attendants.The airlines has decided to remove first class cabins from one-third of its longhaul aircraft, with the remaining 70 planes receiving an upgrade that includes more comfortable seats fitted with thicker mattresses and a more elaborate culinary offering. Basically they are moving from first class to business class. The airline collects about 35 percent of its revenue from premium cabins. The shift from first to business class on international routes has been embraced by other airlines. Jens Bischof, sales chief for Lufthansa’s main brand, said in an interview at the carrier’s Frankfurt hub. “There’s good demand and it’s very robust, not just a marketing peak,” Bischof said. “We try not to fill first at any price. It’s an exclusive, innovative product.” But soon after this announcement, Lufthansa’s shared fell as much as 1.5 percent.
http://www.newdelhitimes.com/
(2) The reasonThis comes in the wake of the airlines’ plans for through a 300 million-euro overhaul of first class. They also plan to purchase 108 new aircraft worth 9 billion euros, including eight wide-body jets, a requirement that must be approved by its supervisory board. The long-haul planes are likely to be two more A380s plus six Boeing 777s. They are also aiming to become the first western airline to receive a five-star rating from airline-review firm Skytrax by 2015, having already been awarded that rank for its first-class service. Many customers are saddened by the news that the “bed and seat” product offered by Lufthansa is slowly being phased out. With competitors like Emirates having features like showers in first class on its Airbus A380 flights and they recently launched a luxury charter service for customers who want an even more bespoke travel experience, Lufthansa maybe looking at taking a big loss to these Middle Eastern airlines. While some airlines are trying to impress the customers and some are fighting to stay afloat in these turbulent times, Lufthansa’s approach may help them or it could send all the luxury seekers to other airlines. Moreover, the reason of a whole class of passenger shift is eminent; resulting in luxury class passengers shifting to other flights. .
http://mobile.reuters.com/ United Air reaches tentative deal with wage hike for maintenance workers United Airlines (UAL.N) said on Friday it reached a tentative deal with the union representing its maintenance workers, paving the way for a wage hike and the first contract to cover technicians from both United and Continental since the airlines merged in 2010. The deal provides for a 25 percent raise for United's highestearning technicians, to $46.15 per hour, according to an email the company sent employees and seen by Reuters. It also includes an offer for a $100,000 buyout for at least some workers and furlough protection. Before the raise takes effect, workers must approve the deal, negotiated by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. It was not immediately clear when the vote would take place. Shares of United were up more than 3 percent in late morning trade. Ratification would mark an achievement for the new management team at United Continental Holdings Inc, which has faced low employee morale after years of contract talks and difficulty integrating employees from the pre-merger carriers. .
http://www.emirates247.com/
Etihad Airways wins injunction to continue Airberlin codeshare Codeshare flights to destinations in Europe, US and UAE By Wam Published Saturday, October 24, 2015 Etihad Airways, welcomed the ruling by the Administrative Court of Braunschweig allowing it to continue operating all its codeshare flights with airberlin to destinations in Europe, the US and the UAE. The injunction, which is valid until 8 November, provides an opportunity for the parties to resolve outstanding differences through ongoing consultation between the Governments of the United Arab Emirates and the Federal Republic of Germany. .
http://www.stabroeknews.com/
Enhancing aviation safety Beverley Drake of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board spoke on the role of aircraft accident and incident investigations in enhancing aviation safety at the recently concluded aviation conference held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, a release from the US Embassy said today. Drake, an accomplished pilot and native of Guyana who immigrated to the U.S., has served with the NTSB for 24 years and has investigated over 300 small, large-scale, and high-profile aircraft accidents, the release added.
http://www.zawya.com/ Qatar Airways to get 11 new aircraft soon (1) DOHA: Qatar Airways (QA) will receive 11 new aircraft in the next two months, includingAirbus ' new generation A350s, A320 Neos, Boeing 787s, and Boeing 777s. The airline is expecting the delivery of two aircraft next week and another two will be received in December, Akbar Al Baker, QA Group Chief Executive, told reporters yesterday. "We are the launch customer of A320 Neos, and we will be the first recipient of it. "Hopefully, we will receive them by the end of this year," he said on the sidelines of a press conference to announce the launch of Royal Air Marco's first direct flight to Doha. Al Baker said the lower oil prices have benefitted QA over the past several months. "When oil prices were high, we were losing money, because 43 percent of our cost structure is based on fuel price. Now it has gone down to 39 percent. We hope it will add to our profitability," he said. QA witnessed a 17 percent passenger growth, touching 24 million, for the first nine months of this year on year-on-year basis and the number is expected to hit 30 million by the yearend.
To queries about the faulty Airbus engines, Al Baker said: " Airbus will not deliver its aircraft to its customers unless it is satisfied with its engine certification.
http://www.zawya.com/ (2) "We have been advised by Airbus that once the engines are certified, they will deliver two aircraft this year. The exact date will be announced later." As of now, QA fleet order include 100 Boeing 777Xs, 76 Airbus A350s, 37 Boeing 787s (including options), 14 Boeing 777s (including freighters and options), 80 Airbus A320 Neos (including options), seven Airbus A380-800s (10 firm and three options), two Airbus A320 and 10 Airbus A330 Freighters. On the 'Big 3' US airlines' complaints against Gulf carriers' alleged unfair competitive behaviour, he said the issue is with the US administration. It is reviewing all complaints of the three US carriers and will see what is good for the American people and not for their airlines. "In fact, QA and other Gulf carriers are constantly creating more jobs for American people by ordering more aircraft and contributing to the American economy. I am sure the American administration is absolutely aware of the fact that we are creating more jobs contrary to the claims of American airlines." "The American airlines have delivered bumper profits during the first, second and third quarters. If our expansion is affecting their operations, how come they make such huge profits?" Al Baker asked. Earlier, to a question at the press meet whether Qatar Airways has plans for equity investment in Royal Air Maroc, Al Baker said Qatar Airways is open for investing in any potential ventures, but did not elaborate. He said regional tensions have not affected the passenger flow. "Air traffic is always cyclical. If there is a fall in one place, there will be growth in other areas... In fact, we are expecting a continued double digit growth in our passenger flow next year." According to data circulated at the press meet, during the 2010/11 financial year, Qatar Airwayscarried over 16 million passengers worldwide, hit over 17 million passengers in 2011/2012, and surpassed 18 million during the 2012/13 financial year. The airline carried over 26 million passengers in 2014/15.
http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/
"Tourism big winner in direct flights deal The resumption of flights to Kenya by German airliner Lufthansa after an 18-year absence is a boon to Kenya's ailing tourism sector, says Joseph Magutt, Kenya's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Republic of Germany. In a telephone interview, Mr Magutt said the resumption of flights to Nairobi by the airline, which will operate an Airbus A340 for the Frankfurt-Nairobi route, will add to Kenya's tourist arrivals. He explained that unlike other European tourists, Germans are loyal. "The German tourists did not stay away from the country even when there was the so-called security scare," he said The ambassador also revealed that the decision to resume flights was reached after high-level negotiations between the Kenyan and German embassies. "This is a confidence boost to the Kenyan market which has had some security issues," Mr Magutt said. Terrorist attacks in the country have seen a number of countries issue travel advisories to their citizens. Mr Magutt also reckoned that resumed flights will boost Kenya's horticultural business.
http://www.mro-network.com/
More strikes loom as Lufthansa cabin crew talks stall German flag carrier Lufthansa is facing further strike action after talks with its cabin crew union over working conditions stalled. Cabin crew union UFO said negotiations had “failed completely” after Lufthansa submitted its offer on October 19, citing differences of opinion on issues such as job security as a factor in the breakdown. UFO also indicated that further negotiations with Lufthansa had been made “virtually impossible” and that a set target to finalise an agreement by November 1 would no longer be reached. The airline has been hit by 13 pilots’ strikes in the past 18 months as Lufthansa struggled to reach agreement with union Vereinigung Cockpit, costing it $112m in 2015 alone. - See more at: http://www.mronetwork.com/news/2015/10/more-strikes-loom-lufthansa-cabin-crewtalks-stall/6137#sthash.R106dvpn.dpuf.
http://mobile.reuters.com/
United Airlines' acting CEO aims to reassure investors amid strong results United Airlines on Thursday tried to dismiss concerns that executive shake-ups have left an amateur team running its business, promising better service for travelers and moderate expansion in 2016 for investors worried about weak demand. Shares of parent United Continental Holdings Inc (UAL.N) rose more than 2 percent after it forecast a pre-tax profit margin of up to 11.5 percent in the fourth quarter, compared with 5 percent a year earlier. The forecast surprised analysts who expected higher costs would keep margins lower. The forecast follows two rocky months at United. Its CEO of five years Jeff Smisek resigned in September after a probe into the airline's relationship with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. A week ago, his successor Oscar Munoz suffered a heart attack, and it remains unclear if Munoz will return. United's general counsel Brett Hart now serves as acting CEO. "At its core, this is a team that has been here through the first quarter, which resulted in record results; the second quarter, which resulted in record results; and the third quarter which resulted in record results," Hart told investors on a call to discuss earnings. This week, S&P Capital IQ cut its rating on the company's stock to "Buy" from "Strong Buy." It cited Hart's "limited experience in finance, operations or customer service, the areas that (United) is most in need of improving." .
http://m.news24.com/ Ethiopian Airlines plane makes emergency landing after engine failure Cape Town - Ethiopian Airlines said a flight, en route from Dublin Airport to Washington, Dulles Airport had to make an emergency landing after one of its engines failed. The airline said in statement posted to Facebook, "Flight ET 500 , Boeing 787-800 with registration number ET-ARF, on its way from Dublin Airport to Washington, Dulles Airport signaled a defect on its left engine and in line with our procedures, the flight returned and safely landed at Dublin airport "The cause of the technical defect is under investigation by our technical experts in cooperation with GE engineers."
We appreciate our flight crew for the professional handling of the flight and high standards." The airline said passengers had been accommodated on a replacement airplane. .
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http://www.cbsnews.com/ American Airlines' profit soars on cheaper fuel (1) FORT WORTH, Texas - A big merger and cheaper jet fuel are doing wonders for American Airlines (AAL). The world's biggest airline reported Friday that its net income jumped 80 percent in the third quarter to $1.69 billion despite lower revenue. Earnings got a big lift as fuel costs plunged 43 percent, a savings of $1.46 billion. American also announced a new $2 billion share-buyback program. US Airways completes final flight On top of that, the company said it has seen no problems since combining the reservations systems of American and US Airways last weekend. That technology crossover tripped up United Airlines after its merger with Continental. With the results, American joined Delta, United and Southwest in reporting higher profits in the latest quarter, as lower fuel prices trumped flat or falling revenue. American's shares rose $1.81, or 3.9 percent, to $47.80 in premarket trading about an hour before Friday's opening bell. They ended Thursday down 14 percent so far this year. American Airlines Group Inc. said that excluding special items related to its merger and other things such as technology help, adjusted profit was $1.9 billion -- the highest in any quarter in American's history. At $2.77 per share, the results matched the expectation of 15 analysts surveyed by FactSet and beat the $2.72 per share forecast of nine analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research. Revenue, however, fell 4 percent on evidence of lower average airfares. The $10.71 billion total was slightly less than the FactSet and Zacks forecasts of $10.72 billion. .
http://www.cbsnews.com/
(2) American doesn't disclose average fares, but yield, or the amount that passengers pay for each mile they fly, fell 9.2 percent. Airlines have taken advantage of cheaper fuel to increase flights this year, but they have had to cut prices to fill more seats. American announced a $2 billion addition to its program of buying back its own stock over the next 15 months, a move that usually pleases shareholders by making existing shares more valuable. That raises the amount authorized this year for buybacks to $6 billion. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of 10 cents per share.
http://finchannel.com/ Qatar Airways Welcomes Royal Air Maroc’s first direct flight to Doh (1) The FINANCIAL -- Qatar Airways welcomed the flagship carrier of Morocco, Royal Air Maroc’s first direct flight to Doha, as part of the two airlines’ joint business agreement which they signed at the Arabian Travel Market Dubai in May 2015. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker joined the Kingdom of Morocco’s Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Logistics, His Excellency Mr. Aziz Rabbah, and the Chairman and CEO of Royal Air Maroc, Mr. Driss Benhima to celebrate the commencement of the next phase of the joint business between Qatar Airways and Royal Air Maroc – paving the way for the next stage of cooperation between the two airlines. As part of this new partnership, Royal Air Maroc will operate three flights a week to Doha in conjunction with Qatar Airways. Flights between Qatar and Morocco have now increased from seven to 10 times weekly, operated jointly by Qatar Airways seven times-a-week and by Royal Air Maroc three times-a-week, according to Qatar Airways. Both Qatar Airways and Royal Air Maroc will be offering a consistent product with an all Boeing 787 Dreamliner operation between Doha and Casablanca. Speaking at the press conference, Mr. Al Baker said: “Qatar Airways is delighted and proud to welcome its partner, Royal Air Maroc, to our hub and home, Hamad International Airport in Doha. “Our new partnership will strengthen both airlines and provide greater options and a seamless network for our passengers between the Middle East and Africa, and beyond. Royal Air Maroc’s thrice-weekly service between Casablanca and Doha combines with our own daily flights between the two cities to provide an enhanced operation, while the frequency increase not only supports inbound tourism and trade, but is also an important new link for onward travel in both destinations.” .
http://finchannel.com/ ( 2) Chairman and CEO of Royal Air Maroc, Mr. Driss Benhima said the partnership with Qatar Airways is crucial in the history of Royal Air Maroc. “This joint business allows us to create a bridge between Asia and Africa that will facilitate the movement of passengers in a seamless fashion on the extensive network of Qatar Airways in Asia and the comprehensive network of Royal Air Maroc in Africa,” he said. His Excellency Mr. Aziz Rabbah, Morocco’s Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Logistics who was part of the VIP delegation that came to Doha on Royal Air Maroc’s inaugural flight said: “This partnership enhances the brotherly relations between the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Morocco in the field of air transport, and will also enhance the cultural, economic and social exchanges between the two countries.” Qatar Airways’ joint business with Royal Air Maroc will offer much broader opportunities for passengers who will benefit from a greater choice of flights and connectivity to destinations such as Marrakech, Agadir, Dakar, Accra or Nouakchott, which will be complemented by frequent flyer benefits such as the ability to earn and redeem Qmiles on flights operated by Royal Air Maroc. This partnership allows both airlines to compete more effectively and share revenue on routes within the joint business, connecting more than 40 African destinations in Royal Air Maroc’s network to more than 70 Qatar Airways destinations in the Middle East and Asia Pacific region. This new agreement also allows passengers the possibility of purchasing a single itinerary combining flights on both Royal Air Maroc’s and Qatar Airways’ global networks, allowing them access to one-stop ticketing and baggage check-in. .
http://www.airport-technology.com/
FAA to review Thai aviation safety standards The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has unveiled plans to carry out a three-day examination of aviation safety measures of Thailand in October. This move comes after the FAA found faults in the Asian country's air safety standards in the last audit conducted in July. Following the audit, FAA gave the aviation authorities of Thailand until mid-October to take remedial actions to overcome critical lapses in its commercial aviation safety measures. The major flaws identified in the audit include shortage of qualified staff to carry out inspections of airline air safety measures. Earlier, the International Civil Aviation Organisation too raised similar concerns, reported Bangkok Post. Reports suggest that if remedial measures suggested by the aviation regulator are not taken, Thai carriers could be barred from entry in US. Thailand's Transport Minister Arkhom was quoted by Thai Visa as saying that the authorities had rectified all the problems identified by the FAA, which includes updating of laws and regulations and safety manuals on air safety as well as recruitment of qualified staffs from the Royal Thai Air Force. The country is also awaiting inspection by the European Aviation Safety Agency next month, reported aviationpros.com. .
http://venturesafrica.com/ SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS IS BACK ON TRACK (1) Following the success of its recently introduced Accra to Washington route, South Africa’s formerly cash-strapped national carrier, South African Airways (SAA), is set to resume flights to Abuja. With an existing gateway to Lagos, an Abuja route will further strengthen the airline’s position in West Africa as it continues to promote trade and cultural relations with Africa’s largest economy. This development will also serve as an additional business travel option in the West African region. SAA stated that the addition of this route comes on the heels of the introduction of the Accra, Ghana to Washington Dulles, USA route, as a West African platform in August 2015. In collaboration with Africa World Airways the carrier also launched flights between Accra, Ghana and Washington DC in North America. A route which has particularly recorded a significant growth in the number of passengers; thereby providing SAA with the confidence to further expand its operations in West Africa. In collaboration with Africa World Airways the carrier also launched flights between Accra, Ghana and Washington DC in North America. According to the Chief Commercial Officer, SAA, Sylvain Bosc, Nigeria is one of the fastest growing air travel markets in SubSaharan Africa and will be well served with additional services to Abuja. Therefore the introduction of a second entry point in Nigeria forms part of the carrier’s Long-Term Turnaround Strategy, which identified growth on the African continent as one of its key objectives. In an effort to turn around the company, Nico Bezuidenhout, SAA’s acting CEO had promised to save the airline R600 million a year by closing down the loss-making direct flights to Beijing and Mumbai. At a point South Africa was considering assets sale to bail out ailing firms. Etihad Airways PJSC was given the option of buying a stake in the loss-making national carrier. .
http://venturesafrica.com/ (2) In March, SAA said it was not clear how many employees would lose their jobs as they were attempting to turn the company around. Tlali Tlali, SAA spokesperson, said the reduction of staff numbers at the carrier, which employs 11,462 people, would be a “consultative process.” “In order to return the company to relative stability in the context of the 90 Day Action Plan, SAA has had to re-examine every aspect of the business,” Tlali said. “This has already resulted in substantial savings and stronger governance. The reality, however, is that SAA’s staff headcount grew over the past few years beyond sustainable levels as losses continued to impair business stability,” he added. However before the end of the ’90 Day Action Plan’, it emerged at the annual general meeting that the carrier’s annual loss had doubled to R2.6 billion ($213.5 million). With this latest addition to its operations, SAA will be serving eleven destinations in Central and West Africa, with flights from its Johannesburg hub to Lagos (Nigeria); Dakar (Senegal), Libreville (Gabon), Kinshasa (DRC), Pointe Noire, Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo),Abidjan (Ivory Coast); Cotonou (Benin); Accra (Ghana) and Douala (Cameroon). The non-stop flights between Johannesburg and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja will operate three times a week, with the first flight taking off from O.R Tambo International Airport on 26 January 2016.
http://www.dnaindia.com/ Air China to end Mumbai-Shanghai service, to connect India with Beijing Chinese flag carrier Air China has decided to discontinue MumbaiShanghai services from October 25 and instead connect the India metropolis with Beijing. For the airline, this is the first direct flight to Beijing from Mumbai, where it will be deploying a wide-body aircraft, Airbus A330-300, which can carry more than 300 passengers. Earlier, the airline was using a narrow body aircraft, an A319, to connectShanghai with Mumbai, according to a statement from the GVK Group-run Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) today. This is the first direct flight between Mumbai and Beijing for the Chinese carrier, a Star Alliance member which earlier used to fly to Shanghai via Chengdu. Air China could not be contacted immediately. According to the airport, the new services will take off from the integrated Terminal 2 starting October 25, using Airbus A330-300. The airport said the frequency (four times a week) and timings will remain the same. Accordingly, the first arrival from Beijing (CA-889 flight) will be at 0100 hrs and the first departing flight from Mumbai (CA-890) at 0230 hrs on October 25. Air China, based in Beijing, is owned by Cathay Pacific and China National Aviation Corporation. Its main hubs are the Beijing Capital International Airport, the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and the Shanghai Pudong International Airport. It has six subsidiaries - Shenzhen Airlines, Shandong Airlines, Air Macau, Air China Cargo, Tibet Airlines and Dalian Airlines. .
http://www.atn.aero/ 2 more African airports become Airport Carbon Accredited As the countdown continues to the COP21 climate negotiations beginning in little over a month, the independent programme Airport Carbon Accreditation today provided an update on its progress in Africa. The Airport Carbon Accreditation programme certifies airports at 4 different levels of accreditation covering all stages of carbon management (Mapping, Reduction, Optimisation and Neutrality). It is independently administered, institutionally-endorsed¹ and has already won praise from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the United Nation Environment Panel (UNEP) and the European Union (EU). As of November last year, the programme is active across the world. At its 24th Annual Assembly, Regional Conference & Exhibition currently taking place in Hammamet, ACI Africa today announced the certification of 2 more airports in its region: Felix Houphouët Boigny Abidjan International Airport in Ivory Coast and Libreville Leon Mba International Airport in Gabon.* Ali Tounsi, Director General ACI Africa commented “I am delighted to announce the certification of Felix Houphouët Boigny Abidjan International Airport and Libreville Leon Mba International Airport at the Mapping level. These 2 significant capital airports join EnfidhaHammamet Airport in actively addressing their carbon emissions. Their certification speaks of the growing awareness of the issue of Climate Change among African airports and their actions are another step in the right direction by our industry, for our continent. Their certification also serves as a reminder to the wider world that Africa is part of this programme and we look forward to others following their example.”
ادارة العالقات العامة -الشركة القابضة لمصر للطيران